(continued from last post)

Q: Some people say that adoptive parents don’t need to be concerned with the issue of coercion – that it’s not their problem. What’s your response?

A: We each have to follow our conscience and our moral compass. From a very practical standpoint, if relinquishments and consents to adopt are not obtained from both parents free of coercion, the adoption is at risk of being overturned. A contested adoption – win or lose – is extremely stressful and costly for all. It is thus in everyone’s best interest to ensure that ethical practices are observed.

Q: You’ve been involved in adoption reform for a long time. What changes have you seen over the years? Have things changed for the better or become worse?

A: I have seen small, positive moves toward more truth and openness in adoption. But I also see an increase in the corruption resulting from the privatization of infant adoption, which has opened the flood gates to unprofessional and unethical practices, both domestically and internationally.

Q: How much time do you think a woman should wait before signing consents? How much time should women have to revoke a consent once it is given?

A: Law professor Elizabeth Samuels, who has done a comprehensive review of the laws in this regard, suggests four to seven days after birth before a consent can be taken, followed by an unqualified revocation period of approximately three weeks. I support these timeframes – which are shorter than in Australia and Europe – as minimum standards and encourage them to be as liberal as possible.

Q: In terms of ethical behavior, are agency adoptions better than independent adoptions arranged by lawyers or facilitators?

A: In my research there is no difference. In most states anyone can obtain a license to open and operate an “adoption agency” business. In addition, many women have been fooled by the words “adoption agency,” since many adoption agencies are nothing more than a website and a toll-free phone line, operating out of numerous states in order to circumvent laws. Non-profit is also a meaningless term, and sadder still, the Better Business Bureau is of little help, whether it is the birth or adoptive parents who are seeking help, since most adoption fraud goes unreported.


(continued in next post)